5E: Fifth Edition Monsters Inspired by Third Edition Sources

[Cleon]

There's an error with the size & type line, which should be "Medium swarm of Tiny fiends, chaotic evil".

Speaking of Tiny fiends, I just realized the demonic locust swarm has a "Tiny insect" left over from copy-pasting the Swarm of Insects.

It should have:

Swarm. The swarm can occupy another creature's space and vice versa, and the swarm can move through any opening large enough for a Tiny demonic locust. The swarm can't regain hit points or gain temporary hit points.​

After all, a Swarm of Quippers doesn't say "Tiny fish" in its Swarm trait!

Updating the Swarm of Demonic Locusts.

 

[Casimir Liber]

here

https://www.dndbeyond.com/monsters/4122622-swarm-of-demonic-locusts

 

[Cleon]

here

https://www.dndbeyond.com/monsters/4122622-swarm-of-demonic-locusts

That looks fine to me.

Guess we're good to go then.

Updating the Swarm of Demonic Locusts.

Updated the the Completed Fifth Edition Creatures Index and the Index of 5th Edition Conversions of 3E Monsters.

 

[Casimir Liber]

..right...now back to the thrall...

 

[Cleon]

..right...now back to the thrall...

OK, you were fine with the proposed Bewitch Aerial Creature weren't you?

Bewitch Aerial Creature (Recharges After Long Rest). The thrall of pazuzu selects a creature with a fly speed it can see within 60 feet. The aerial creature must succeed at a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw, with advantage if the creature is hostile (which will always be the case if the thrall or their allies are fighting it). If it fails the saving throw, it is charmed by the thrall for 1 hour during which it regards the thrall as a friendly acquaintance.
 The thrall can use an action to compel a bewitched aerial creature to perform a specific action, such as "charge that creature and attack it", "pick up this object and follow me" or "go to that wall and pull the leftmost lever". The creature makes a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw. If it fails, it must use its reaction to move up to its speed and make a melee attack (or another action of similar complexity) as the thrall directed. If the save succeeded, the creature falls prone and makes another Wisdom saving throw which ends the charm effect if it succeeds.
 Each time the charmed creature takes damage, it makes a new Wisdom saving throw. The effect ends if the save succeeds.
 An aerial creature knows it was charmed by the thrall when the effect ends. If the creature ended the charm with a successful Wisdom save, it becomes immune to the thrall's bewitchment for the next 24 hours.

Will update the Thrall of Pazuzu Working Draft with that and Noxious Spores.

 

[Cleon]

Okay, so the only power we have remaining is the original's Breath Weapon.

Simply calling it a "breath weapon" seems a little uninspired though. How about jazzing up the name a bit?

How about this:

Pazrael's Breath (Recharges After A Long Rest). The thrall of pazuzu exhales a swarm of demonic locusts into an adjacent space. The thrall can exhale the swarm into areas occupied by other creatures, including the thrall itself. Roll initiative for the swarm, which has its own turns. It obeys any verbal commands the thrall gives it in Abyssal. The swarm never attacks the thrall and recognizes the thrall's allies. If the thrall doesn't issue any commands, the swarm starts attacking random creatures and devouring vegetation while defending itself from hostile creatures and trying to stay within 30 feet of the thrall. An undirected swarm that has no victims or crops in sight will slake its thirst for destruction by vandalizing property. The swarm vanishes back to the lower aerial kingdoms after 6 [?] rounds. It also disappears when it drops to 0 hit points or if the thrall orders it to return home.
​

I think that about covers it.

Liked the idea of the demon locusts going on a kill-and-devour spree unless the thrall specifically orders them not to. Makes more sense than the standard conjuration's "If you don’t issue any commands to the [NAME], it defends itself from hostile creatures but otherwise takes no actions."

It is a bunch of dimwitted ravenous demons, after all!

 

[Casimir Liber]

Yep - I like/adding all three.

Description so far

Thralls of Pazuzu are devotees of the demon prince Pazuzu, seeking to spread the word of their dark patron, tempting others to ask forr his aid and in so doing spread chaos and evil like a blight. When they cannot tempt others into serving their master's will they call upon his favored minions - all creatures that fly or swarm - to aid in their unholy crusade. A thrall of Pazuzu views creatures that cannot fly as pitiful and foolish, and often uses the seduction of flight as a promise to those who would call upon Pazuzu for aid.

 

[Cleon]

Yep - I like/adding all three.

Updating the Thrall of Pazuzu.

Description so far

Thralls of Pazuzu are devotees of the demon prince Pazuzu, seeking to spread the word of their dark patron, tempting others to ask forr his aid and in so doing spread chaos and evil like a blight. When they cannot tempt others into serving their master's will they call upon his favored minions - all creatures that fly or swarm - to aid in their unholy crusade. A thrall of Pazuzu views creatures that cannot fly as pitiful and foolish, and often uses the seduction of flight as a promise to those who would call upon Pazuzu for aid.

That Description is a good start but could do with a little polishing plus something about their actual appearance.

Would remove the "or swarm" from it. Some swarming creatures can't fly (e.g. rats, army ants, centipedes) so would be disdained as minions.

How's this…

Thralls of pazuzu are devotees of the demon prince Pazuzu. They were once ordinary humanoids but were transformed in body and soul once they enslaved themselves to Pazuzu. They now have black vulture-like wings sprouting from their shoulders and malevolent, aquiline features.
 Advocates of Evil. Thralls of pazuzu seek to spread the word of their dark patron and in so doing spread chaos and evil like a blight. They tempt others to ask their demon lord for aid and step upon the slippery slope to damnation. When they cannot tempt others into serving their master, they plots to inflict death and torment upon as many innocents as it can. Thralls often call upon Pazuzu's favored creatures—any evil monster that flies—to aid their unholy crusade.
 A thrall of pazuzu views creatures that cannot fly as pitiful and foolish, and often uses the promise of flight to seduce victims into serving Pazuzu.
​

That covers the essentials.

No need to get complicated.

 

[Cleon]

I need to recalculate the Challenge now we've got the numbers sorted out…

…okie-dokey. CR Calculator says it's still CR 2 (450).

The thrall has an extremely low Defensive CR due to its mediocre HP and lowish AC, so it needs to use its shield of faith ASAP and make ranged attacks while flying out of reach if it wants to survive more than a round of combat.

Should we incorporate that in the Description?

Maybe change the last sentence to:

 Flying Threats. A thrall of pazuzu views creatures that cannot fly as pitiful and foolish, and often uses the promise of flight to seduce victims into serving Pazuzu. Thralls prefer to fight from the sky while mocking ground-bound enemies. They typically invoke a shield of faith then fly above their opponents' reach while hurling down ranged attacks, spells, and their Breath of Pazreal or Noxious Spores.​

Better?

 

[Casimir Liber]

https://www.dndbeyond.com/monsters/3953679-thrall-of-pazuzu